Icy Sphere, New Monster [3.5]

[PaigeXenon]

I would like your opinions on this monster i have created for a low level adventure. I was aiming for 2-3 CR monster but I don't really know if I succeeded with that.

Icy Sphere
Size/Type: Tiny Construct(cold)
Hit Dice: 2d10 (11hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. Fly (poor)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 Size, +3 Dex), Touch 15, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12
Attack: Ray of Frost +6 Ranged Touch (1d3 cold)
Space/Reach:2 ½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Chill Burst
Special Qualities: Frost Aura, Construct Traits, Immunity to magic
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1

A tiny orb of ice hovers 4 feet off the ground in front of you radiating an aura of cold.

Ray of Frost:
An Icy Sphere can use Ray of Frost as a spell like ability at will.

Immunity to magic:
Certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

Spells that deal cold damage heal an Icy Sphere ½ the damage that would have been dealt

Spells that deal Fire damage deal twice the amount of damage.

Frost Aura:
An Icy Sphere radiates cold energy. Any creature striking it with a melee weapon takes 1 point of cold damage. Additionally an Icy Sphere can discharge this aura to activate the Chill Burst special attack. After being discharged the aura manifests again in 1d6+3 rounds.
An Icy Sphere that has its aura active for an extended period of time begins to affect the weather in the surrounding area. The temperature in an area of about 5 miles will begin to drop slowly. If it is already in a cold environment it can start to cause blizzards to form in the area.

Chill Burst:
Discharging Its Frost Aura an Icy Sphere can deal 1d4+1 cold damage to creatures with in 15 radius centered on the Sphere.

[Baron Corm]

I'd say it's pretty much CR 2, unless the group has access to fire damage of any kind. If they do, it's trivial to beat it, with only 11 hp, even without the extra weakness. At that level though, there shouldn't be too much fire damage.

[LordErebus12]

I would make the Ray of Frost Spell Like ability a quickened spell like. It would increase its firepower by a little bit.

[LordErebus12]

I'd say it's pretty much CR 2, unless the group has access to fire damage of any kind. If they do, it's trivial to beat it, with only 11 hp, even without the extra weakness. At that level though, there shouldn't be too much fire damage.

also, very very low CR, i think. swarm them for added shenanigans. maybe add these:

Also, being a science nut, cold is absence of heat, therefore it doesn't radiate cold, it drains and absorbs heat. (no doubt feeding off it or running off it) when you add alot of them, they can drain more in larger bursts, Heat Sink should count as a chill burst use by all present icy spheres. they feed or run off heat so they see it, actively seeking it out to absorb it. perhaps a 20 ft aura of cold weather? if the party doesnt have endure elements... its gonna get cold...


Heat Sink (Su): Whenever two or more Icy Spheres are within 20 feet of each other, they can work together to create a vacuum of Heat. This effect has a radius of 20 feet, centered on any one contributing Icy Sphere.

The cold deals 2d8 points of cold damage for each Icy Sphere contributing to it, to a maximum of 12d8. A Reflex save (DC 10 + number of Icy Sphere contributing) reduces the damage by half.

Infra-vision (Ex):This ability allows the Icy Sphere to detect sources of heat with its eyes. These sources may range from ambient temperature to the heat of a powerful fire. Any such source of heat possesses an aura with a myriad of colors ranging from red to white, called a heat signature.

Accordingly, the Icy Sphere gains a competence bonus to Spot checks involving such sources corresponding to the severity of the heat signature's color. The most 'severe' color is always closest to the source of the heat signature, and may be surrounded with less severe colors as the heat diminishes the further it gets from the source.

{table=head]{colsp=4}

Table: Infra-vision

Signature Color

|

Source Temperature

|

Example

|

Spot skill bonus

{colsp=1}

Red

|{colsp=1}

less than 70°F

|{colsp=1}

interior of a house during winter

|

+2

{colsp=1}

Orange

|{colsp=1}

70°F to 120°F

|{colsp=1}

living human body

|

+3

{colsp=1}

Yellow

|{colsp=1}

120°F to 210°F

|{colsp=1}

a geyser

|

+4

{colsp=1}

White

|{colsp=1}

210°F or over

|{colsp=1}

a fire

|

+6

[/table]

This ability cannot detect heat sources with a temperature below that of the current ambient temperature.

[LordErebus12]

now it can seek out heat and ....

[radmelon]

It should probably have a good or perfect fly speed, because as it is now it can't hover, and working out the 'orbits' it will need to engage the players can be a real headache.

[PaigeXenon]

My original idea for these orbs was different sizes the larger being more powerful. I do like the 2 abilities you came up with. The whole idea was that they were created by a powerful white dragon (or some other creature/s that thrive in cold weather) in order to dominate a nation and then act as enforcers with what ever created it as the ruler.
The adventure is they party is in a region that should be nice and tropical but instead is a hush and snowy winter. the party stumbles across one of these orbs in the middle of a blizzard. They must disable then find some one to study it. I'm aiming for a somewhat powerful low level type boss thing but im not the best DM and not all that great at making new stuff.